Chapter 5

Sited in straw in a small wooden cage, Baara looks at her surroundings shivering from the cold, this might as well really be how she dies, Oracle? What was she thinking?

She suddenly heard screaming, the voice sounded so familiar, she holds on to the bars to see what was going on, her eyes widen when she sees Dorothy being dragged by the guards, Baara felt her whole body shiver, tears slowly fall down her cheeks.

They must have arrested Dorothy thinking she was an accomplice, Baara thought to herself, she lifts up her head and deeply sighed, not only has she gotten herself in trouble, she has gotten Dorothy in trouble as well.

Someone appears in front of her cage, she puts her head down only for her to behold Prince Calvin, and her eyes widen "Yo-your highness". She mutters.

" I was having a good evening stroll when I heard an oracle has been arrested by the king, Alas I find you sited in a cage, could you be the oracle?".

"You have to help me". She pleaded

He chuckles  "And why should I?".

"Because I know your secret".

Calvin scoffs "You asserted the king wouldn't believe a word that would come out of your mouth, your blackmail is futile and the king already sees you as a liar, you will be dead by tomorrow". He turns to leave

" What if I told you, I told others". Calvin stops "I told guards, maids, eunuchs".

" You lie!" He exclaims turning back to her "Even so those were just filthy lies told by a servant who played the role of an oracle to mock the king".

Baara suddenly wears a smirk "Even so, the king might become suspicious and grow cold towards you, the truth will slowly reveal itself, and everyone will be keeping an eye on you and the queen".

" Nonsense!" Calvin yells "You are a liar, and you will die a liar". He walks away. Baara lies helplessly on the ground.

On his way to his chambers Calvin started noticing people's eyes on him, the maids who walked past him looked at him and began to whisper amongst themselves, and the guards who bowed to him had their side eyes on him, Calvin had a really bad feeling, did that mere servant get to him or was she telling him the truth? either way, could he risk it?.

______Darius had requested the Queen's presence but yet again she declined. Slowly he finds himself getting used to disappointment, he keeps hoping one day she might consider.

Early the next morning, Darius's eunuch enters his chambers "Sire, you have a visitor". He said with his head faced to the ground

" Who dares disturbs the king early in the morning?".

"It's the Emperor sire, her Majesty the queen's father". Darius' eyes widen.

" Huh? What did you say?".

"Your Father in law sire, he is presently in the waiting room".

Darius immediately gets on his feet, stretches his hands and the eunuch immediately puts on his royal robe

"There you go sire".

Darius didn't waste time hurrying to the waiting room, he burst the door open only to see his father-in-law and the queen.

"Your highness what brings you here?". Darius bows to his father-in-law showing him respect. Emperor Marcus, tall, white-haired, only has a few wrinkles, one can say he still looked good for his age "What brings you here unannounced?".

" Is it a crime to check up on my daughter?".

Darius shakes his head "Of course not, it is a pleasure". Marcus walked towards him giving him a pat on his back

He starts to circle Darius "I have to say, from what my daughter tells me, you are still very much a pushover lad, you don't have a say during your meetings with your ministers, your people don't adore you, your financial situation is very poor".

"I do try my best to-"Marcus suddenly stops him

"Your best? A King doesn't try, he does, you can make win points with your people by conceiving an heir". Darius found himself lost in words, instead, he looks at Atara who immediately dodges eye contact, how is it possible when his own wife doesn't let him touch her  " Before I forget, I have brought gifts to brighten the mood a little a bit". He chuckles as he snaps his fingers.

Guards in red attire storm in holding a box, they gently put them down 

Darius' eyes widen as he sees the generous amount of gifts placed before him "What is all this?". Darius asked flabbergasted

" Gifts, mostly that if gold and silk". Darius felt his whole body shivering, what is this? Could that servant girl really be an oracle?

Immediately after Emperor Marcus left, Darius sent for Eitan.

"Everything she said the other night, came to pass?". Eitan asked openmouthed

"Yes, even to the gifts, gold and silk".

" Wow, just wow, what will you do now?".

Darius rubs his chin "I do not know, that's why I have sent for you, to help me decide her fate."

"What she still did was considered as mockery your majesty, talkless of deceiving you, and the fact she took

advantage of people's situation by charging them outrageously it's what baffles me the most, maids don't get paid, most of them just traded precious items that were given to them by loved ones".

Darius sighs "You are right, what she did is a very punishable offence, and for that, she may be executed as planned".

_____The queen, Atara sneaked out of her chambers to meet with her love Prince Calvin in the garden.

She sees him standing majestically under a tree, the wind blowing his hair and attire only made him more beautiful for her to behold.

She approaches him, and he immediately takes her hand and pulls her into his embrace. " Thank you, my queen, thank you".

She separates from him "Why did you ask me to invite father, and tell him to bring such gifts, may I know the reason now?".

Calvin smiles sweetly at her "I do not wish to see my dear friend sad, I feel guilty that I took his only source of happiness away, I know how lonely and troubled he has felt this couple of days, that's why I asked you to summon your father last night, to help brighten his mood a little bit with his gifts".

Atara sighs "You make me feel like the villain here". She backs him annoyed folding her arms.

" I did not wish to make you feel that way, my queen, you're the best thing that has happened to me, and if I were to go back in time, I will choose you over and over again".

She faces him wearing a beaming smile "That is what I love to hear, I only wish for your love to continuously grow for me".

" Always your highness".

_________ Guards suddenly opens Baara cage. They brag a hold of her and take her to the king.

In the throne room, the king sits majestically and Baara is brought before him, she is pushed down to her knees to bow before him

Dorothy is suddenly placed next to her, Baara sees the bruises on Dorothy's face and bites her lips as she silently weeps.

Darius stands on his feet "You are brought here to face your judgment". Eitan hands him a sword, he walks towards Baara and pointed the sword at her "You mocked the king, you fed on people's price possession and now you are going to face the consequences of your action". Baara immediately starts weeping

" Forgive me, I know I deserve to die, but please free Dorothy she has no idea what was going on, it was all me, please don't let an innocent servant suffer because of my stupid idea".

Darius raises an eyebrow "Very well, she shall be free, but as for you. Baara tigtens her eyes

"Do as your wish". She said ready for her head to get cut off 

" You didn't tell a lie, everything you said yesterday came to pass". Baara eyes widen, and she felt a huge weight off her chest, her lips start to tremble

"S-si-sire?" She stutters.

"You indeed are an Oracle, you are free to see another day".

" So I'm not dying?".

Darius shakes his head "No, however, there are consequences for your actions".

" Of course". Baara said quite relieved, she's willing to do anything as long as she's not dying

"You mentioned last night that as long as I had you by my side all my misfortunes will disappear".

" uhm, yes I did say that".

Darius takes in a deep breath "I hereby make you, my very first concubine".

Baara exclaims raising her head up and looking into the keep eyes "What!". Darius gets startled

Baara felt stabbed in the heart by a sword, at this point she will surely be put to her death.

                      FLASHBACK

" So it's been decided then, she will be put to death".

"What if" Eitan propose "What if you just let her live take her instead?".

"I do not understand?".

" If she's really an oracle then it means you can use her powers to your advantage and she might even help you with your crises including the relationship with the queen".

Darius caresses his chin "I guess that makes sense".

Eitan smiles " Of course, you can keep her by your side".

Darius suddenly gasped "She even mentioned with her by my side my misfortune will disappear, you're right Eitan, and I think I know the exact position to give her".

                                 PRESENT

Eitan chuckles, he never saw that coming, he felt kind of delighted that the King finally had the guts to get a Concubine, but a mere servant? An oracle for that matter? What is going on in that head of his, he would never know, but that is what makes Darius, Darius, always full of surprises.

Baara froze in fear, with the hopes she might just wake up and find out everything that was happening is a dream.

Darius just wore a smirk, he knew exactly what he was doing, maybe finally having a concubine might shake up the Queen a little bit, and having Baara by his side, his misfortune might as well just come to an end.